Why many women are “not with her”

“I can forgive Clinton for Benghazi. I can forgive Clinton for her email server. These are mistakes that at the time, she more than likely thought she was doing her best, and was under extreme pressure. What I cannot forgive, is how she destroyed the lives of women Bill Clinton took advantage of.”-A source that remains anonymous.

Last week, Clinton’s campaign got serious when they saw Sander’s poll numbers increase. They pulled Gloria Steinem and Madeline Albright to discuss why women should stand behind Clinton. Steinem said that the only reasons young girls followed Sanders was to chase the boys who followed him, and Albright said that there is a special place in hell for women who do not help other women.

While what Albright said is true (Steinem’s comment is a little vindictive), and while Clinton has worked for many women’s rights issues her whole life, this does not excuse, for many, the elephant in the room. Trump was the first to bring it up, but for the most part, it has been kept quiet in the media and for most people.

As a champion for women, how can Clinton choose to stay with someone who has numerous times disrespected women?

Trump said to Wallace, weeks ago, that Hillary Clinton was not a victim, but was an “enabler.” He continued that saying, “I have more respect for women than Hillary Clinton has.”

Wallace then said to Trump that the relationship between Clinton and Monica was consensual, and Trump responded: “Well, you’re not talking about Monica, you’re talking about many.” The other woman who is most well known, and took Clinton to court, is Paula Jones. She was paid over $800,000 to settle.

So for many women, the fact that Clinton could stay with her husband. and tolerate such treatment of women even if she is not directly aware of situations, does not sit well. It does not discredit her brilliance, nor her dedication to women’s rights, but it does cause women to not say “I’m with her.” In fact, young women have recently been flocking to Bernie Sanders, especially when it comes to college tuition reform.

Monica Lewinsky and Paula Jones, because of their scandals, are now infamous names in American history. For this reason, it is not a surprise that other women who suffered from the same abuse, would not want to step forward. We cannot judge the relationship between Clinton and her husband. But for many people, the entire situation does not sit well, and while personal lives should not influence political stances, it does. This is the irony of a woman who is running on a powerful card, as the first woman to shatter the glass ceiling. It is not the men who do not want this, but instead, women. And it is not because they do not want to help another woman, but instead, because they think this woman did not help other women.